River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1887-02-10
MADISON LETTER.


NlAG hNNh NfAo kAiE ACNCpLAOiA otl WV
Rusk's last evening. The eXecu-
tive mansion was brilliantly lighted, an
orchestra furnished choice music, and
the rooms were filled with people who
had come To shake hands with the
sturdy old man of nerve who presldes
over the interests of our great state,
y noticeable feature of the reception
was the preponderance OF men. There
were some ladies present, bat the men
Outnumbered them five to one. This
is TO be accounted for 10y the fact that
the legislature is in session, and these
gentlemen cannot afford To bring their
wives To the Capital with them, and
are too loyal to their absent spouses to
think of taking any other mans wife
or daughter To public entertainment.
Another reason for the prepOnderance
of men lay in the annual session of the
farmers of the State and they were
generally unaecompanied with ladies,
and they were all out as IN duty bound.
To see and shake hands with the Coy
ernOr.
Another feature of the reception was
the republican simplicity of the cos
tunes and clothing of the ladies and
gentlemen. There was one dude pres.
ent in white chOker and steel pen coat,
and he looked and evidently felt lone
some among the plain and unpreten-
tiOus farmers, business men and law
makers who filled the mansion. The
Governor 5 bright and pretty daughter
was richly, but plainly dressed in white
silk, and | failed to see an evening
costume such as is en- regLe in society,
at the reception.
The governor never does things by
halves and an abundant supper was
served To all corners in the large dining
room. This feature was under the
immediate direction of benny Butts
an intelligent cOlOred man, VINO came
from the South with the Governor S
regiment, the 18th Wisconsin Infantry,
at the close of the war, and is now do
ing a ilOuTIshing barber business in the
city. 1t was pleasant to hear veteran
soldiers, eX-Otiicers and legislators
pass good evening, Mr.. Butts, as he
handed them plate of ices and cake.
Ii illustrates the democratic idea of
equality which is not only the corner
stone of our Republic, but must be
made the keystone also, If we expect
II to survive the inrOadS of Angloma-
MIA aTistOcTatic apeing and servile
tOadyiSm which is fast eneryaLing the
manhood of the eastern states, and
eliminating the loyalty of its deyOtees.
The legislature is grinding away with
a good deal of perseverance at the BIZ
ennial grist which is brought TO its
mill. Members are complaining of the
hr,aar5 huah fhAtg a ranttIra1 IN
devote 10 committee work, and are
realizing that where there is no
pecunIaTy end TO be attained by pro-
longing the session and where "A major
ity of the members are anxious to do
the business and get home, that 1t is
not all picnic to come To Madison as
an Honorable" OF course the
brightest members come i'll for larger
share of work than those whose grasp
OF mind is bounded So to speak, by
intellectual or physical limitations.
Such members who are OvestOcked
with Incidence and undeTstOcked with
ideas, don't cut much of figure here,
and il will be "A long time before their
districts will shine with any light re-
fiected from their chosen lumInarles.
As whole the present legislature
ranks at least with the average, and
contains many men of ability ana prac-
teal sense, coupled with an honest de
sire to have the state business transact
ed economically and well and in the
shortest time. About two hundred
bills have thus far been introduced in
the Assembly, and less than half as
many in the Senate. y few have be-
come laws, a good many have been
consigned to tine limbo expressed in
indefinitely postponed, and the
balance are running thrOughithe Com
mittee mills.
The legislation of the session is not
of engrossing interest, in general. The
re-appointment of the state into AS
sembly and Senate Districts, and the
attempts to repeal the One-mIll school
tax law and the Women's suffrage law
which was carried at the last popular
election are about the most interesting
bills introduced. The last two will no
doubt be quickly disposed of as the
opponents of both bills are in the ma
jointly.
There is, however, good oppOrtun'
ity for the economically disposed
" dO AiiC BCOPAC "a oCA v ~ III
the way OF scanning closely the apprO-
pIiatIOns. Already there are enough
appropriations asked for by bill To
deplete the treasury and render neces-
saIy heavy state tax To meet the de-
mands. The State University build
lngs call for over two hundred thouS-
and dollars, and there are scores OF
smaller claims and demands which
swell the grand tUtal-with the current
expenses of the state-tO a greater
figure than the probable income for the
next two years.
The farmers of the state have been
holding their annual convention this
week In addition to "a great deal of
good work in the way of detailing eX-
peTience and suggesting improved
methods, they tackled the transpOrtd-
ton question SO far as it relates To
passes, and set the seal of their dis
approval upon the custom of accepting
OF using free transportation, SO far as
Legislators and judges of all courts
were concerned, in very vigorous
resolution. for which every farmer
voted. This action upon The part of a
body of men four-iifths of whom came
10 the convention upon passes furnished
at their own request 10y the members
of the legislature OF their various dis
tricts had every appearance of incOn-
sistency-at least 1t would be deemed
inconsistent for the legislature, for
instance, to declare as body against
free transportation. or the granting OF
passes by the railroads, and at the
same time beg and use passes to come
and 60 upon. To show up this in
consistency and get the laugh on the
farmers. Mr.. Hadfeld, Democrat, of
Wauk esha, yesterday introduced the
following resolutions:
il. Res. No. 10 A.
WHEREAS, The farmers ofMiscOnsin, in solemn
cOuClaye assembled have, with immoderate en-
thusiasm lent support q the anu-leg islatiye and
judicial pass proposition. and,
WHEREAS. Ii j. known that no class Of people
in the world is more delighted with pass than
Lhe farmer: and,
WHEREAS, IL Is known that many Of the farm
ers who voted for such endorsement, reached
Madison through the benign influence Of pass;
and,
WHEkEAs, The farmers in convention here